Mailbag

'Other Than Mexicans' Article Promoted Paranoia

Muslims and Mexicans crossing the border to destroy America! Oh my! Thank God we have a bunch of armed yokels in Tombstone protecting us ("Other Than Mexicans," Sept. 2).

Has everyone forgotten that one of the largest terrorist attacks in the United States happened in Oklahoma City and was the work of a white, Christian guy? Obviously, people driving around in pick-up trucks carrying guns and looking for terrorists makes for a great weekend in Cochise County. One would gather from these rubes out in the hinterlands that there was not much better to do than to search and destroy non-white and non-Christian people. Haven't they got cable down there yet?

And now we know what kind of family Jim Kolbe grew up in. Oh my God, a diary in Arabic--call the FBI! Poor Jim must have had a difficult childhood living in such constant paranoia. (We can see the effect of this in his policies today.) Heaven forbid that anyone in America would read anything but English. Heaven forfend that something be written in--gasp--another language. Pure evil!

What are Americans so afraid of? Could the populace suddenly have realized that our government's policies have had a horrible effect on the rest of the world, and now the victims of those policies are coming to seek revenge?

The real causes of terror (poverty, war, overpopulation, environmental damage, disease) go unchecked. Half the country still supports a man who can't even spell Mexico, much less hold diplomatic talks with another country, and who uses war and oppression as his only diplomacy and policy--and wonders why the world wants to harm us.

It's all one big, round planet, people. The border isn't real. Just another tool to keep you afraid of the boogieman. Therefore, what goes around comes around. If you don't want people blowing up your neighborhood, perhaps you should consider being more humane with one another.

Those who follow Timothy McVeigh must be loving this.

J.T. Kennedy

'Other Than Mexicans' Article Promoted Info

I read "Other Than Mexicans," interested in whether or not you would mock the fact that possible terrorists could enter the United States through the Mexico border.

But as I kept reading, the mocking turned a little serious, and then you quoted other media sources with credible reports of people from suspect nations entering the United States through Mexico, that are indeed, no joke.

As for Rev. Robin Hoover, whom I respect for all of his work out in that deadly desert, he fails to see the risk to our nation's security posed by this very porous border. Hoover says that there is no verifiable proof of terrorists crossing that border, but doesn't he get that's exactly the point?

I figure you also went on a trek to prove that the terror threat is an overblown farce. But, through your own eye-opening research, you ended up seeing some of the same disturbing evidence that I saw. You found all of the same public records that proved numbers of SIAs.

I'm sure you ran in to the same walls that I did in my search for credible, on-the-record information. When I would get close to finding my answers, I ran into the same thing: "We can't release those numbers or information due to Homeland Security issues." It scares me to know that there is information about people who want to do the United States harm, and the public isn't allowed to find answers or view that information.

I'll look for the next dig in The Skinny on the investigative reports of terror threats coming through Mexico. And thanks for reporting what you found!

Melissa Reeves
KVOA investigative producer

A "Fundie" Speaks Out

Tim Vanderpool's "Pagan Predicament" article (Sept. 2) was unfairly heavy-handed against "Christian right-wingers," "fundies" and the other derogatory terms Vanderpool used for conservative Christians. In an article supposedly defending tolerance, Vanderpool promotes gross intolerance against conservative Christians like myself. It's not just the terms used, too: It's the obvious conclusion that the crimes mentioned were committed by conservative Christians. This conclusion is based on evidence that is, at best, circumstantial.

Additionally, the article contains inaccuracies and poor research. The claim that Wicca "predates Christianity" is untrue. What we know as modern Wicca was invented just a few decades ago. Some of the concepts it uses may predate the rise of Christianity, but as a whole, the religion is quite young. Also, Darla Kaye Wynne's claims of violent harassment are extremely suspect. Instead of her cat being gutted and hanged, she now claims that it was her pet bird that was killed by being decapitated. Whatever the case, she was unable to produce a corpse as proof.

As a conservative Christian, I find the vandalism of the shop deplorable, but it is heartening to know that there are more people in the world willing to help the owner out than to kick her when she is down. At least one of them--the owner's financial backer--is even a Christian minister.

What is just as deplorable, though, is when people jump to conclusions based on scant evidence. Let's be a little more tolerant and less judgmental, shall we, Vanderpool? Even toward us "fundies."

Jason E. Hubred
Montevideo, Minn.

A Pagan Speaks Out

I now have one more reason to love the Tucson Weekly. I just wanted to say thank you to Tim Vanderpool, for writing the article last week on the vandalized Broom Closet. It gave me a sense of comfort knowing that someone in the media had the courage to write an article in defense of the misunderstood pagan community. It is unfortunate that we are mistaken for devil worshippers and the like. Thank you for doing us justice and shedding some light on what paganism really is.

Rune Equinox Morrigan

FYI: You Need a Placard or Plate to Park

Danehy's handicapped parking-space rant (Aug. 19) and the letters of response (Sept. 2) are off the mark. Several years ago, I took my ailing wife to see her doctor, and after taking her inside in her wheelchair, I was signing her in when I noticed Tucson's Finest ticketing my car for being in the handicapped space (the only space anywhere near the wheelchair ramp). A city magistrate taught me the law: Handicapped spaces are for vehicles with placards or plates (I didn't have either)--not for handicapped people!

Dan Anderson

Dammit, James Left That Out!

I'd like to congratulate James DiGiovanna for his recent Exorcist: The Beginning review ("Kill Me," Aug. 26 ). James managed an entire review without mentioning, much less blaming, George W. Bush and the evil Republicans for the dreck he was forced to watch.

Kevin Baker

Downing's Mall Rant Was Depressing

I thoroughly enjoyed Renée Downing's article about the history of the shopping malls in Tucson (Aug. 26). I am one of the newcomers you mentioned. However, reading this also made me very sad. I had decided to move to Tucson to retire when I came out here to look at Halley's comet in 1986. When I got laid off in 2002, I thought this would be the right time to move (from Chicago). Tucson is nothing like what I remember. I am depressed by the corrupt county government and inept city government. There are still a lot of things I like, but I just have a deepening sickness in my stomach. Articles like yours help me to understand what happened (and is happening) here, so I appreciate it very much.